This invention relates to a fan for cooling a motor and, more particularly, to a linear reciprocating fan driven by a linear motor which the fan cools. The linear motor may be used to power a linear air compressor among other motorized devices.
With the growth of the consumer electrical appliance market, particularly with respect to power tools, there is a continual drive to reduce the costs of such appliances while maintaining their efficiency and performance. Manufacturing costs can be reduced in several ways and often most effectively by simplifying the manufacturing and assembly procedures and eliminating precision fits such as often is required with rotary elements.
In addition, most electrical appliances generate considerable heat during operation and it is desirable and often mandatory that forced cooling be effected. Rotating fans are commonly used in electric motor devices to provide such forced cooling; however, such fans are relatively expensive to include at least partially because of the support bearings and rotational balancing required for proper operation. Furthermore, they are not immediately suitable for linearly operating electric devices.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a fan which has a highly efficient cooling capacity for a linearly operating, electrical appliance motor, and one which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, and reliable in use.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a linear fan of the character described for use in and with a linear motor which minimizes the number of parts required and which may be assembled as part of the appliance with relative ease and minimal expense.
Additional objectives and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.